Atlantic
by livingintheshire
Summary: Tony/Bruce pre-slash. Based on the song "Atlantic" by Keane. Post-movie. WARNING: Spoilers included.


**AN**: This is my first fic ever, so I hope it isn't rubbish!_  
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_Atlantic - Keane_

_I hope all my days__  
__Will be lit by your face__  
__I hope all the years__  
__Will hold tight our promises_

_I don't wanna be old and sleep alone  
__An empty house is not a home  
__I don't wanna be old and feel afraid_

_I don't wanna be old and sleep alone  
__An empty house is not a home  
__I don't wanna be old and feel afraid_

_And if I need anything at all  
_

_I need a place  
__That's hidden in the deep  
__Where lonely angels sing you to your sleep  
__Though all the world is broken_

_I need a place  
__Where I can make my __bed  
__A lover's lap where I can lay my head  
__Cause now the room is spinning_

_The day's beginning_

Bruce had been alone for far too long. Constantly on the run, afraid of himself, afraid of hurting others, afraid of never being able to live the life he wanted. The flinches and fear in the eyes of those around him who knew his ability – his curse – cemented his solitude and self-loathing into permanence. The second he became The Hulk in that laboratory experiment, his world shattered into pieces around him. However much he wanted to, Bruce could never go back home and would never have a home. Every time he moved to a new remote village, the timer started, counting down the time until Bruce would find himself in a forest full of fallen trees or a crumbled building, naked, alone, and afraid.

When Bruce first met Tony, he warmed to him instantly. How could he not? Tony's intellect was mixed with infectious humor, and more amazingly, a lack of caution around Bruce. Whenever Tony looked at Bruce, his eyes lacked the pity and the fear that everyone else's showed. Tony soon became his first friend in a long time, and his best friend. The bond was so strong, Bruce learned that The Hulk caught Iron Man after he fell from the portal unconscious, cradling Tony in his arms and shielding him from the brunt of the fall. After the alien invasion, Bruce moved into Stark Towers. At first, he refused to stay, but Bruce saw Tony's rarely perceived kindness shine through the billionaire playboy exterior when Tony excitedly showed Bruce the Hulk proof room Tony had begun building for him. With the sheer magnitude of effort that Bruce knew went into creating the room, Bruce accepted Tony's invitation to stay immediately. What Bruce wanted more than anything was a home. What Bruce _needed_ more than anything was a home. It had been too long since he was anything but a refugee, alone in an empty house with no one to call a friend.

One day, Bruce realized Tony was just as lonely as he was. Tony's neglect in childhood, his alienation from people because they resented his genius, the fact that his fame immortalized him into something inhuman - instead of human he was a trophy, a weapon – all of these things made Tony someone who was used to being alone. Pepper and Rhodey were good friends to Tony, but they still didn't understand him. Tony had many houses, but they never felt like home.

A few days after moving in, Bruce had a nightmare where he was running through an endless forest, on the verge of transforming into The Hulk, passing shack after shack, all empty. He was completely alone, and no matter how far he ran, he couldn't find anyone. The dream was permeated with one emotion: a sadness that chilled him to his bones. Bruce had visited this dream many times before. The dream always ended in a room filled with everyone he knew. Dead. Everyone was dead. This time, it ended differently. Bruce was gently awoken before the end by a warm hand on his cheek. Tony's brown eyes looked down at him with concern and understanding, his face inches from Bruce's. Filled with shock and relief at escaping from the dream, Bruce began to cry softly, finding that he was unashamed to bare his soul to Tony. Bruce felt Tony sit on the bed and he cooperated as Tony moved Bruce's head slightly into his lap. Tears dropped slowly down Bruce's face as he cried for all of the old pain and fear from before he met Tony, as Tony hesitantly began to stroke Bruce's hair. Tony never said a word because nothing needed to be said. If anyone could understand, Tony could. Bruce reached out and held Tony's other hand that wasn't carding through his brown locks. His eyelids fluttering shut, Bruce opened them again to gaze up at Tony's face with a hint of yearning.

"I'll stay here with you. I promise," Tony whispered, understanding Bruce's unasked question. "I promise."

Bruce smiled, lulled to sleep by the tenderness of Tony's hand in his hair, still holding Tony's other hand in his own. He slept a dreamless sleep, for his world was mended. Together, they were finally at home.

The sun broke over the horizon.

**AN:** If you are interested in following me on my Tumblr (which is full of mostly Avengers stuff right now), my username is onmyowninaseparatesky. Shameless self-promotion. Apologies!


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